


Gravity

by theonetruenorth



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The 100 (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Embedded Images, M/M, Magic still exists, Spoilers for 'The 100', powerful!Magnus, the 100 au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-20 23:16:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9520424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theonetruenorth/pseuds/theonetruenorth
Summary: The man, Magnus, raises a finger at Ragnor without even looking at him, a clear gesture to make him wait as he finishes a passage in the book. Only after a moment he shuts the tome closed and finally turns towards them.His eyes are like pools of molten gold and emeralds, his pupils just a vertical slit. They are the most beautiful pair of eyes Alec has ever seen and at that very moment he realizes that he’s screwed.In celebration of season 4 of 'The 100' starting in two days, have a fusion of two universes.Where Alec is one of the sky people, Magnus is a grounder and they both are stupidly smitten with each other.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Gravity is working against to me  
> And gravity wants to bring me down
> 
> Oh I'll never know what makes this man  
> With all the love that his heart can stand  
> Dream of ways to throw it all away
> 
> \--- John Mayer, 'Gravity'

Alec and Izzy are running through the Idris camp at full speed because apparently, there’s a grounder at the gates.

They both have their guns ready - the fact that it’s just one grounder doesn’t mean shit, they both know just how much damage even one of them can do. Chancellor Fray is already at the gates, waiting for them, along with Luke - her right hand and chief guard - and Clary. Jace is with them, talking quietly with his girlfriend, his posture tense as they gesture towards the main camp entrance.

“What does he want?” Alec asks, a little breathless as he and Izzy join the group.

“We don’t know,” Luke answers them, “but he’s carrying a white flag.”

Alec’s brain takes a moment to catch up.

“What,” he raises his eyebrows, “like war messengers in history books?”

It is, in fact, exactly like in the history books Alec used to read in class. The stranger is covered from head to toe, a heavy hood on his head and even his face is hidden behind layers of cloth arranged like a mask, only a thin sliver of space left and wary eyes shine through the gap. They open the gates, guards behind them ready with primed weapons and the grounder dismounts his horse, his hands raised in a universal gesture of surrender.

“Which one of you is the leader of Sky People?” The voice coming from behind the cloth mask is slightly muffled. He sounds like he’s keeping his voice purposefully neutral, his tone calm and strong.

Chancellor Fray stands up a little straighter, her back rigid.

“That would be me.”

The stranger’s clever eyes focus on her.

“My name is Ragnor Fell. I’ve come to you with a proposal from my clan,” the grounder says, pausing for a brief moment. “We might be able to solve your problem with Azgeda.”

The mention of the Ice Nation causes murmurs to ripple through the crowd that has gathered at the gates. Chancellor Fray looks startled but manages to mask her surprise.

“And how, exactly, would you be able to help us?”

The grounder lets his hands down, cautiously, avoiding making any sudden movements in case one of the guards is trigger-happy.

“That,” the grounder says, “would be best discussed in private.”

 

* * *

 

After he’s patted down for concealed weapons they take the visitor inside what used to be the chambers of the Clave - the Ark council - but that now serves as a command center. He is offered food and drink but declines both with a shake of his head. He still has not taken down his hood or mask, which doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

“You wanted to talk, so let’s talk,” Luke starts them off, standing at attention on Jocelyn’s right side. They are all here, the chancellor, some of the council members who survived the Ark crash, Clary and Jace and the Lightwood siblings. Alec knows that the Clave would rather not see them attending the meetings, but the four of them led the original hundred together after they first hit the ground. They had earned their respect and even the Clave members were not stupid enough to risk mutiny; the delinquents were loyal to their group and would follow their orders, instead of the Chancellor’s.

“I’m from a clan called Warkru. In your tongue we are called Warlocks,” the stranger says. “Our leader, the High Warlock Magnus Bane, would like to extend an invitation to your people. If you send a representative with me back to our village we might be able to open negotiations with Azgeda on your behalf.”

Alec quickly looks around at the people gathered in the room. Most of them seem unsure and stare at the newcomer with suspicion. But on some of their faces he sees hope. It is the first time he’s seen hope in _weeks_.

“What makes you think the Ice Nation will listen to you?” Luke asks, raising an eyebrow at the grounder.

“We are an independent tribe,” Ragnor explains. “We do not belong to any of the twelve clans and we do not answer to the Commander.”

“I thought all clans belonged to the coalition,” Jace whispers to Alec. It is meant only for his ears but it seems that their guest catches it too, since he looks right at them.

“Warlocks are scholars, teachers and healers.” Ragnor turns back to look at Jocelyn and Luke. “We pass knowledge onto others, we settle disputes and act as peacekeepers, if needed. We can start wars between clans but we can also put a stop to them. That’s what we are offering to you, a chance to settle down a treaty with Azgeda.”

“That sounds too good to be true.” Jocelyn shakes her head, careful not to let hope show in her voice. “Why would you do that for us? What do you get in return?”

“We get peace.” Ragnor shrugs. “Every time a new conflict starts, people suffer. Lives are lost, often without reason. High Warlock Bane believes that your people will bring something new to the lives of those who were here before you and that we can learn much from each other.”

“You don’t sound so sure,” Hodge, one of the council members, speaks up. It’s the first time someone outside of the inner circle has said anything and it seems to startle the grounder.

“My opinion doesn’t matter,” Ragnor says, weighing his words carefully, like he doesn’t want to let them know he might not agree. “I stand by my leader and his decision.”

“Madame Chancellor, this could be a trap,” another councilman interrupts, waving a dismissive hand at the messenger. “And how can we expect to trust someone who doesn’t even give us the courtesy of showing his face.”

“The reasons for not revealing myself are my own.” Ragnor’s back stiffens at the slight. “But if it will put your minds at ease, so be it.”

Once he takes off the hood and removes the layers of cloth from his face it’s obvious why he kept it hidden. Alec’s eyes widen as he takes in the white hair and a pair of horns protruding from Ragnor’s forehead. His skin has a distinctly greenish tinge to it too. He’s handsome, Alec thinks - his features sharp and chiseled and mature - but he definitely looks so unlike anyone else he has ever seen.

There is a small commotion among the people gathered as they openly gawk at the unusual features of their guest.

“He looks _awesome_ ,” Clary’s quiet voice reaches Alec’s ears and he can’t help the way the corner of his mouth twitches. Ragnor must have heard it too, since the tense line of his jaw softens a little when he looks at the redhead.

They have to think about the offer, of course. It might be a trap and even if it’s not, it’s more than probable that the Warkru may expect more of them than they can give. Ragnor says he will set up a camp just outside the Idris gates, and wait for their decision.

It takes a couple of hours of heated debate but eventually the news that Azgeda scouts killed another of their patrols is enough to push the verdict towards accepting the proposition.

That evening Alec and Jace venture out into the tree line and find Ragnor sitting at a small campfire, eating what looks like a roasted rabbit.“We’re not promising anything yet,” Alec says. “But we’re willing to talk and see where it takes us.”

“That’s all that any of us can expect,” Ragnor replies. They agree to leave at dawn.

As Alec and Jace turn to head back to the camp, Ragnor stops them. “Before you go, know that it is customary to bring a gift for the High Warlock when you enter negotiations. It doesn’t have to be anything of great value, just a token of your good will, though items with historical or sentimental merit are appreciated more. You will receive a gift in return before you leave, if you come to an understanding.”

“Okay, that sounds fair.” Alec nods. “Is there anything in particular that he will enjoy?”

“Every High Warlock has different preferences, but when it comes to Magnus?” Ragnor smirks and for the first time Alec wonders just how well the green-skinned man knows his leader. “You can’t go wrong with jewelry. Anything shiny and colorful and he’s sold.”

 

* * *

 

The travel to the Warkru village takes them two days. They cover half of the distance in the car and have to go on foot for the rest of the way, since there are no roads wide enough for the vehicle. Ragnor rides his horse but keeps pace with them, out of courtesy.

It’s the four of them again, Alec, Izzy, Jace and Clary. It’s actually a good mix as far as the delegations go. Clary is the daughter of current Chancellor and a pretty good diplomat, her charisma strong enough to make others listen to her. The remaining three are the children of Robert Lightwood, who was a Chancellor about a decade ago, before his death. Alec knows that Jocelyn is grooming him into being her replacement in the future, since Clary expressed no interest in a leadership role. Jace is probably going to take over for Luke as a head guard, with Izzy right behind him. Their sister is going to have her hands full with making sure they don’t do anything stupid and run Idris into the ground, pun intended.

Clary seems to have developed a good rapport with Ragnor, the two of them talking about the different customs and traditions and Alec listens carefully, absorbing everything he can. He doesn’t want to offend anyone while they are there or isolate a potential ally.

It’s how he learns that every member of the Warkru is a reject from a different tribe, where children with visible mutations - that they call Warlock marks - are either abandoned in the wild or sent to their clan. Every Warlock looks different and it’s rude to stare, so they should avoid gawking at them. Magnus Bane himself supposedly has the eyes of a cat, which Alec thinks must look pretty cool.

Alec also learns that their delegation will be expected to stay for a couple of days - a week at most - and take part in the life of the clan and answer truthfully to any questions that the High Warlock might ask them. After that period of trial he will decide if the Skaikru is worthy of his help or not. If they pass, they will receive a token of goodwill in return.

The gift will reflect the personality of the person petitioning the Warlock, so they aren’t sure what they might expect but Alec thinks it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that the negotiations with Azgeda will start and they might avoid going to war after all.

Alec thinks about the dead patrol and the way the Ice Nation scouts had spread the entrails of his people over the trees and he knows he’s going to do anything it takes to gain the favor of the High Warlock.

Failure just isn’t an option.

 

* * *

 

The Warlocks’ village isn’t very different from what Alec had seen with Trikru territory - a mix and match buildings made from scraps of metal and wood, scavenged from abandoned cities and ruined settlements. There seems to be more color though, the walls painted with dye and decorated with scraps of different fabrics.

The people are more colorful too and Alec tries very hard not to stare at the blue, green and violet skins of the Warlocks. Some of them look more normal than the others and some look only half-human at most. Alec is fairly sure he saw a man with a tail, which is a little mind-boggling but he tries to just roll with it. They have to leave their weapons at the border, and Alec feels vulnerable without anything to defend himself with. He doesn’t _think_ they will get attacked, but you could never be one hundred percent sure.

Ragnor leads them to a massive old building of concrete and wood with round walls and slating roof. Some of the glass windows are blown out but some still remain and Alec can see the beautiful shapes and colors within it. He thinks it is called ‘stained glass.’ They enter the building and after a maze of corridors they make it into what must be an audience chamber.

After the drab and utilitarian interiors of the Tondc, Alec half-expects to see more of that bleakness here, but he’s surprised once more. The room is large, with a high ceiling and more of the stained glass windows. It’s an explosion of colors, decorations of rich fabrics and carved furniture. It’s decadent, really, and Alec isn’t sure if he finds it obnoxious or impressive.

The floors are covered with slightly-faded rugs and animal furs. There is a low dais on the far end of the room with a couple of steps leading to it and it holds only one high-backed chair made of dark wood. Alec thinks it looks like a throne, with it’s intricate ornaments and carved details.

A man is sitting sideways on the chair, reading through a thick book. From the angle Alec can only see his profile - the dark skin, dark eyes and striking features. He doesn’t look up, focused on the book but even without seeing his eyes Alec can tell that the man is handsome.

One of the man’s hands is resting on the head of a giant black panther lying in front of the throne and he’s scratching behind the animal’s ears. Alec freezes at the sight of the predator and the others behind him follow his lead. The panther is enormous - it would probably be at the height of Alec’s chest if it stood up. It looks like it could tear their heads clean off with one swipe of its paw and Alec is really, really regretting leaving his weapons behind.

“Magnus,” Ragnor says with exasperation after he gets closer, seemingly not fazed about the danger lounging just in front of them.

The man, Magnus, raises a finger at Ragnor without even looking at him, a clear gesture to make him wait as he finishes a passage in the book. Only after a moment he shuts the tome closed and finally turns towards them.

His eyes are like pools of molten gold and emeralds, his pupils just a vertical slit. They are the most beautiful pair of eyes Alec has ever seen and at that very moment he realizes that he’s _screwed_.

 

* * *

 

Magnus is...

Alec currently lacks the mental capacity to describe the High Warlock with adjectives that make sense to anyone else but him. He’s never been a poet and if Izzy or Jace could hear his thoughts they would think something is wrong with him. The words that slip to the front of his mind when it comes to Magnus are too big for comfort, words like ‘ _exquisite_ ’ or ‘ _ethereal_ ’ or ‘ _celestial_ ’. He can only stare, completely dumbstruck, as Magnus puts away his book, swings his legs over so that he can stand up from his throne and glide - fucking _glide_ \- towards them with a most dazzling smile Alec has ever seen.

Alec is eternally grateful to Clary for greeting the Warlock and introducing them while he tries to salvage whatever brain cells have not expired yet and focus on what’s going on.

“And who might _you_ be?”

God _dammit_ , even his voice is divine. Alec is so, so screwed.

“Alec,” he manages to reply without sounding like he’s choking on air. “Alec Lightwood.”

Magnus’ cat eyes focus on him. He’s smiling and Alec can feel the beginning of a similar smile tugging at his own lips. Magnus looks at their group, paying attention to every single one of them in turn before he takes a step back.

“So, which one of you is going to officially speak for your people?”

And that’s Alec’s cue.

“I am,” he says, straightening his back, standing a little bit taller.

“Then the rest of you are dismissed.” Magnus waves his hand at the door. “Ragnor, be a dear and show our guests to their temporary quarters.”

There is a bit of commotion when Jace and Izzy protest against leaving him alone but Alec manages to convince them that he’s going to be fine.

Of course, it’s only after they leave that Alec realizes his mistake because now he’s left alone with Magnus.

Magnus, who is standing by the window looking outside, waiting for Alec. The light that falls through the stained glass paints his face with dots of soft red and greens, enhancing the colors that he already wears. Magnus’ clothes are a mix of deep, rich shades, complimenting his complexion. His black hair is streaked with purple highlights, the dye bringing out the darker tone of his skin. There are dozens of jewelry pieces on him - necklaces, rings and ornate bracelets on his arms that chime softly as he moves.

“I have something for you,” Alec finally states after what seems to be an unseemly amount of time spent just looking at the man. He has a feeling Magnus is well aware of his staring and humors him. He closes the distance between them and pulls out a wooden box from his backpack. Magnus raises an eyebrow at him as he accepts the box, their fingers brushing together in the process.

Magnus opens the lid, revealing the pendant inside. It’s a rectangular ruby cabochon set in a frame of silver filigree swirls, hanging from a delicate chain. It was his and Izzy’s single most valuable possession and they had both agreed to give it up if it meant the chance of saving their people.

Magnus takes it out of the box and places it in the palm of his hand, studying the details. He runs his fingers over it gently and gives Alec a small, genuine smile that makes Alec’s breath catch.

“It’s beautiful.”

“It belonged to my mother,” Alec says after a moment. “She wore it on the day she married my father.”

“This is too much.” Magnus shakes his head. “It obviously means a great deal to you. I can’t accept it.”

“I want you to have it.” Alec reaches out to curl Magnus’ fingers over the pendant, securing it within the Warlock’s palm. It’s a pretty bold move and he’s not sure what prompted him to do so, but he leaves his hand there for a moment, resting over Magnus’ own. “The security of my people means more to me than a family heirloom, no matter how precious.”

Alec thinks it’s the right answer when Magnus’ smile finally reaches his eyes, almost like Alec just passed some sort of test.  

 

* * *

 

The next couple of days are a flurry of activity.

They wake up and eat breakfast and then go off to fill their time with various tasks. They help out around the village and learn more Trigedasleng. With her talent for languages Izzy is almost fluent in it. They learn more about the ways of the Warkru and grounders in general. There are training sessions and hunting expeditions. Alec learned how to use a bow some time ago when their alliance with Trikru mandated shared weapons training and he seems to have a natural talent for it. He left his bow back at Idris but he borrows one from the Warlocks and he manages to take down a deer during their first outing, a feat that earns him some respect from the hunters.

Three days after their arrival Magnus leads them into the depth of the ancient building he resides in and when he opens a pair of huge, heavy doors, they are all struck speechless. There are countless floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with hundreds, thousands of books on every subject imaginable. Izzy squeaks at the sight and buries herself in the books for the next two days, Clary right there with her.

It becomes clear why the Warlocks are teachers and scholars - with a library like that, how could they not be? Alec remembers how giddy he was when he could hold even _one_ paper book in his hands and the collection that Warkru has goes beyond his wildest dreams. There are books about everything and anything under the sun. Delicate tomes with fragile pages and massive albums with colorful pictures. Fictional novels and science textbooks and Alec thinks that with an infinite well of knowledge like that, the people that study here must seem almost omnipotent to the regular grounder folk. He begins to understand why the Warlocks are feared and respected.

 

* * *

 

Most days, though, are filled with talking.

Alec doesn’t think he’s ever talked so much in his life. He tries to stay truthful and answers all questions sincerely, no matter how uncomfortable they might make him feel.

He and Magnus are having a late dinner in his quarters, just the two of them. Over the course of a couple of days Alec has grown more at ease with having the entirety of the High Warlock’s attention on him.

That’s when Magnus asks about his past.

“I’m sorry,” the Warlock says after a long stretch of silence during which Alec says nothing, “it’s clearly a delicate subject. I didn’t mean to pry.”

“No, it’s okay.” Alec shakes his head and sighs. “It’s actually somewhat complicated and ties to the history of my people.”

Alec tries to tell the story in logical order, aware that to the outsider their lives in space might seem abstract. He tells him about his mother’s accident in one of the research labs, how the head trauma was too severe and she was pronounced brain-dead by the doctors. The Clave’s rules were clear - anyone in a coma lasting more than four months or without confirmed brain activity was to be pulled off life support, to save the resources. However, before they managed to pull the plug on Maryse the doctors found out she was pregnant. There were strict rules about that on the Ark - only one child was allowed per married couple, any other pregnancy had to be terminated.

_The law was hard, but it was the law._

Alec is pretty sure that was the only time his father, a Chancellor at that time, actively went against the rules.

Maryse was kept alive on life support for six more months before the child inside of her was strong enough to live on its own. Alec remembers holding his mother’s hand while she was laying still and unmoving in bed, remembers kissing her cheek in goodbye when it was time to let her go. Then Isabelle was born and their mother finally passed away.

Alec was the only person in the entire Ark who had a sibling.

It was a daunting responsibility, to say the least. His father showed no real interest in taking care of the baby, not at first. Alec knew he was still mourning the death of his wife. He didn’t know how to handle being alone with him, a newborn Izzy and Jace, whose parents had been killed in the same accident that injured Maryse. Alec never resented his father for distancing himself, or that he had to take care of Izzy on his own, even though he was only five.

Things started to look up later on but it all went to shit again around the time Alec turned fifteen. There was an uprising led by Clary’s father, a man called Valentine. Him and the inner circle of his friends tried to take over one of the stations and get the Ark to the ground, convinced that the Earth was habitable and Clave was keeping them in space without any real reason other than to control them. The unsuccessful attempt at a mutiny resulted in an explosion that took the lives of Valentine and his followers and also killed twenty seven other people - his father included.

Alec was left alone with Izzy and Jace. On a purely technical level, it really didn’t make much difference - he had been raising them on his own for years. Alec was already training to be a guard and his siblings were following in his footsteps. They were going to be okay, even if they were on their own.

Then the story about the air supply on the Ark being in critical condition broke and a whole lot of people got incarcerated for it. Simon, who discovered the flaw in the design and Clary, who made the news public against the Clave’s orders. Jace and Izzy were arrested not long after, for trying to break them out.

Soon after that the news that the underage prisoners were being sent to the ground caught up with him and Alec was desperate. He couldn’t commit a crime to join them, since he was already of age and would be floated instead. So he did the only thing he _could_ do - went to Chancellor Fray and begged her to be allowed to join his siblings in their exile to Earth.

_"We don’t know what’s out there," she said to him. "We could be sending them to their deaths.”_

_“With all due respect, Madame Chancellor,” Alec interrupted her. “I don’t want to be alive if my siblings are dead. If they are sent to Earth, I want to be with them. They are all I have.”_

In the end, he was allowed into the drop ship after promising Jocelyn to keep an eye on Clary and Simon as well.

The rest was history.

“You must think we’re pretty inhumane.” Alec sighs as he finishes his tale and he swirls the drink in his cup absent-mindedly. He was told it was wine and it is a curious mixture of sweet and sour that pools warmly in his belly. “With us sentencing people to death for breaking the rules or not allowing the birth of multiple children.”

“Quite the contrary.” Magnus shakes his head when Alec gives him a surprised look. “I think your people are exceptional. You adapted to circumstances that were dire. I can’t even imagine the struggle that life amongst the stars must have been, confined to a shelter that you couldn’t leave, where the slightest mistake could result in your death. It’s no wonder you created a strict code of conduct for yourselves. You wouldn’t survive as long as you did without it.”

“Hopefully things will change now,” Alec says, his fingers drumming a nervous beat at the tabletop. He doesn’t want to imagine a world where they still keep the old rules. “We finally have the space and resources to grow as a society. To learn how to be better versions of ourselves.”

“For what is worth,” Magnus says, his voice quiet and smooth and somewhat calming, like a balm for Alec’s nerves, “I think you already are quite remarkable.”

Magnus’ hand covers Alec’s, stilling his twitching fingers. Alec looks at their joined hands, then at Magnus and his fond smile and feels his heart skip a beat when their eyes finally meet.

He smiles back.

 

* * *

 

Two days before the delegation is scheduled to go back to Idris, Alec joins Magnus on a walk through the woods in the late afternoon. The birds sing their early evening songs and the forest around them is buzzing with sounds and activity, even if they don’t actually see any of the animals. It might be because Chairman - Magnus’ giant panther - is with them, walking quietly at the Warlock’s side.

Alec has to admit, he is still wary of the giant cat. Chairman is huge, its large head on the same level as Magnus’ shoulders. Heck, the animal’s massive jaws could probably crush them in half without any real effort.

And yet despite appearances, the creature is nothing but affectionate towards Magnus. Its behavior towards others varies - from friendliness to indifference - but after seeing the two of them interact Alec doesn’t doubt that Chairman is nothing but loyal to the Warlock. It’s hard to think otherwise after Alec walked into Magnus’ room to find both of them on the floor near the fireplace, the panther on its back with all four paws in the air while Magnus scratched its belly. "Maybe it’s my animal magnetism," Magnus quipped when Alec shook off the shock at the scene. He rubbed Chairman’s head, the cat closing its eyes in pleasure.

They come to a small lake not very far from the Warkru settlement and Chairman bounds away from them but Alec has a feeling the cat won’t travel very far. Probably went off in search of a late evening snack.

Alec is looking at the lake, at the wide expanse of dark blue that stretches for miles in seemingly every direction when Magnus’ voice startles him out of his thoughts.

“Can you tell me about Mount Weather?”

Alec flinches, turning his head away for a moment. He doesn’t want to speak of what happened, but he knows he must. It’s essential for Magnus to understand why he did those things, and what pushed him towards the decisions he made. If the residents of Idris want the protection that Warkru can offer them, Magnus needs to know.

“You know that they held my people hostage, along with some of the members of different clans.”

Magnus simply nods, as if in fear that Alec might clam up and refuse to give him answers. Alec sighs, taking off his boots and rolling up his pants so they don’t get wet before he ventures a couple steps into the water. Magnus gives him time to figure out what he wants to say and Alec is grateful to have a moment to collect himself.

“After we fought off the attack from Trikru and the Mountain people took us, we were separated. I ended up back at the Ark’s crash site along with Clary. Jace, Izzy and Simon were still in the Mountain.” Alec shifts a little, feeling his toes dig into the soft sand that lines the bottom of the lake. “It all went to hell pretty fast. Once we established a connection with Simon and my siblings we learned about the experiments that the Mountain was conducting on my people and yours. You probably know what happened next, that I infiltrated the Mountain, that the Tondc was bombed and how Commander Lexa betrayed us.” Alec pauses and swallows, his throat feeling tight, like he can’t breathe very well. “You know that the Mountain People are now all dead.”

“I know some of the events, yes, but no details,” Magnus admits and Alec startles a little when the other man stands next to him in the water, his pants pulled up as well. The lake is pleasantly warm in the evening hours. There is a roar in the distance, the victorious sound of Chairman catching his dinner. “I know of the horrors that happened in the laboratories. I’ve heard the tales from other people who survived it. Who lived through the torture...”

“It doesn’t matter.” Alec shakes his head, looking down. He doesn’t want to think about what he had gone through. “Nothing mattered except for making sure that my people got out safe. And that my siblings survived.”

“Oh, Alexander,” Magnus sighs and Alec shivers at the sound of his full name. Ever since Magnus learned that ‘Alec’ was an abbreviation he refused to call him anything else. There is a hand reaching underneath his chin and Magnus turns his head towards him, making Alec look up and stare right into his eyes. “Of course it matters. That kind of suffering should always matter.”

Alec’s hands are trembling so he stuffs them into the pockets of his jeans, hoping to hide the tremors. His heart is racing like crazy and he knows he needs to say it, to admit the truth to someone, let out the hurt that has been festering in him for so long.

“I killed them,” he whispers, his tone quiet and a little broken and he looks away from Magnus, even with the other man still cupping his jaw with a gentle hand. “I killed them all.”

“What?” Magnus’ voice is still quiet and calm but his hand drops from Alec’s face and Alec closes his eyes, unable to witness the shock and rejection he’s sure that he will see on Magnus’ face. The spot where his hand lingered just a second ago feels so cold now.

“There was no other choice,” Alec continues, the floodgates wide open now. He doesn’t even know why he’s doing this because he’s pretty sure his confession is going to kill any chance he has for an alliance with Warkru. But he is tired of keeping it a secret and maybe once he admits what he has done the wound on his soul can start healing. “They were killing people, stringing them up like cattle and harvesting them for parts. They were torturing kids, collecting bone marrow from them without anything to ease their pain. They used us as resources to be exploited and they were never going to stop, not if killing us meant their freedom to walk on the surface.” Alec’s voice is shaking now, to match the rest of him falling apart at the seams. “The deal we had with Lexa fell apart and someone had to stop them. I had to stop them. I opened the Mountain to the outside air and the radiation killed them. Almost four hundred people. Men, women and…children.”

Alec feels the vertigo coming and he is surprised to feel arms holding him up, preventing him from falling and he opens his eyes to Magnus’ concerned face.

“I didn’t have a choice,” he whispers again, desperately wishing that Magnus would believe him. “They wouldn’t have stopped pursuing us, they had nothing to lose. No one would ever be safe from them, not until they killed us all.”

He is still shaking, the tension making his limbs tremble despite the tight hold that Magnus still has on his arms, like he’s afraid Alec is going to fall over if he lets him go.

Magnus’ eyes search his face for a long time and Alec wants to avoid his gaze, wants to shy away from the inquisitive looks but he _can’t._ He owes Magnus that much, after dropping such a heavy confession on him out of the blue, he doesn’t deserve the comfort that hiding away would bring him.

After a long moment during which Alec’s heart hammers like crazy against his rib cage, Magnus finally comes to a decision. His eyes soften a little, the hands gripping Alec’s shoulders gentling their touch.

“I believe you.”

The three words are a shock, almost like a physical blow. The relief that washes over him is almost palpable and frankly, a little ridiculous, considering Magnus doesn’t know him that well.

But maybe he _does_ know him, Magnus seems to be able to see right through him, like Alec is an open book that he has no trouble reading. Alec knows he’s not really that good at keeping secrets, wearing his emotions on his sleeve for the whole world to see, but still.

“No one knows,” Alec says. “There wasn’t anyone with me when it happened and I haven’t told anyone, not until now. I wasn’t sure how I could look at my people, look into their eyes and keep lying to them every day. But I couldn’t tell them, couldn’t burden them with the knowledge of what I had done to keep them safe. I bear it, so that they don’t have to.” Alec pauses. “I wanted to go away, at first, leave Idris so I wouldn’t have to deal with it, but then I realized I could never leave my siblings behind without anyone to look out for them.”

There is a long stretch of silence between them but it’s not uncomfortable. Magnus lets him go when he’s sure that Alec won’t topple over. The sun has set behind the treeline without Alec even noticing it until the darkness started to wash over them. The wildlife in the forest calmed down some time ago, the chirping of the birds replaced by the noises of insects and the occasional hoots of owls. The late evening weather is warm and pleasant, the quiet sounds of water splashing against the lakeshore is peaceful. Alec makes a soft sound of surprise when he notices little dots of soft blue light shining around them - he has seen fireflies before but he never stops being amazed by them. Magnus’ face is bathed in color now, the glow around him like a halo and he’s so beautiful it almost physically hurts Alec’s heart.

“Since you shared a secret with me, I’m willing to tell you one of my own,” Magnus says after a while and pauses, a little hesitant. “Or should I say, it’s not a real secret, since other clans are aware of it, but you and your people are not.”

“It doesn’t work that way,” Alec hurries to explain, “I didn’t tell you about me to force you to reveal something about yourself.”

“I know,” Magnus cuts him off. “But I think it’s something you should learn anyways.”

Magnus sighs and turns a little towards the forest, gesturing with one hand towards it. Alec looks back as well, confused for a moment and then freezes in his spot, unable to do anything but stare.

He’s not sure what is happening, much less _why_ , but a couple of small pebbles from the rocky shore drift slowly through the air until they come to a stop above Magnus’ open palm. Alec blinks, his mind blank _and_ racing at the same time. He looks at Magnus but the Warlock is avoiding his gaze, focusing on the stones suspended in the air instead and it’s the first time that Alec has seen Magnus looking unsure and maybe even a little lost. Afraid of Alec’s reaction.

Alec reaches up to poke one of the pebbles. It shifts under his touch but comes back to its position a second later, like it’s suspended on an invisible string.

“How... how are you doing that?” Alec finally asks once he finds his voice.

“It’s something only I can do,” Magnus replies quietly, his other hand coming to rub at the back of his neck in a move that is entirely subconscious. Alec knows that he’s touching the small symbol of his clan that is tattooed on the nape of his neck. It covers a long, vertical scar he saw in passing during their stay. Alec has a feeling that it might have something to do with the phenomenon he’s witnessing. He has a million questions but is unsure how to ask them. “It is a power granted to me by my position as a High Warlock.”

The small rocks move above his palm now, a synchronized dance that’s a little bit hypnotic and quite impressive.

Suddenly a lot of things become clear.

“It’s the reason why other clans listen to you,” Alec says, a little breathlessly as he raises his hand again and the pebbles float towards him and start weaving in between his fingers. “Why the Warlocks have so much respect, when their clans kicked them out in the first place. Why even Commander Lexa is afraid of making you into her enemy.”

Alec lets out a tiny laugh when one of the rocks balances on the tip of his finger and twirls slowly.

“Having this talent is helpful when dealing with others. They are wary of me, of what I could do. Fear is a useful tactic when dealing with stubborn, narrow-minded clan leaders.” Magnus shrugs. “They should be more interested in the well-being of their people rather than taking part in a ‘ _who has bigger balls_ ’ contest.”

“Do they have reason?” Alec asks. “To fear you, I mean?”

“Yes,” Magus replies, a little hesitantly. “If I wanted to, I could probably raze Polis to the ground.”

Alec’s eyes snap up to his at this confession, startled by his honesty.

“That’s... huh.” He can’t even find words to describe how he feels. Alec doesn’t doubt for a second that Magnus could do it - this power of his certainly seems capable of doing incredible damage. The careful shift of the pebbles moving in the air between them is a proof enough -  Magnus’ dominance over their movement is absolute. If he has the same amount of control on a larger scale he probably could destroy Idris in a matter of minutes.

“You’re not afraid,” Magnus whispers. It’s not really a question though it’s shaped like one and Alec can hear the surprise in the other man’s voice.

“No. I really don’t think you’re going to use this to hurt me or my people,” Alec replies, looking up into Magnus’ eyes. “Is it foolish of me to believe that?”

Magnus shakes his head and the relief on his face is clear. The tension in his shoulders goes away after a moment and his gaze turns soft. Fond, even.

He slowly lets the pebbles drop and they fall into the water with a quiet splashing sound.

 

* * *

 

It’s their last night and they are leaving back to Idris in the morning. For this special occasion the village is having a gathering. There are fires blazing through the night, there’s music and rich foods and plenty of alcohol to go around. Per Alec’s request they drink only a little, enough to relax but not to cause them grief in the morning - he wants them to stay sharp once they leave the protection of Warkru territory.

Jace and Clary are cuddling for most of the evening and when they disappear together into the forest at the edge of the village, Alec pretends not to see them. He’s going to tear them a new one in the morning, but for the moment he decides to let it go.

At one point Izzy coaxes Alec into dancing with her around the fire, joining the twirling mass of people already enjoying themselves. Alec doesn’t really like dancing, he thinks it makes him look like a fool but he does it for his sister anyways. The dance isn’t complicated and he catches on quickly and if he finds it just a _little_ bit of fun... well, that’s a secret he’ll take to the grave with him.

When he stops to catch his breath and drink some water, a gentle hand falls onto his shoulder and Alec turns to see Magnus standing behind him in all his colorful and dazzling glory.

“You haven’t received your token yet,” Magnus says and Alec needs a second before he remembers the exchange of gifts at the start of their delegation. “Come with me.”

Alec looks back towards Izzy but his sister already found a new dance companion, a tall, lean Warlock he has seen her with before. He thinks his name is Meliorn, but he can’t be sure.

Magnus leads him inside the halls of his ancient home, past the audience chamber and the library, into the deepest part of the building where his private rooms are. The quarters are decorated in a similar fashion as the rest of the place, with opulence and luxury that seems to be Magnus’ trademark style.

The High Warlock is wearing a loose tunic in deep crimson color and black pants - a fairly simple and modest outfit, for his standards. It’s only after a moment that Alec realizes that he lacks any jewelry, other than a silver and ruby necklace he knows so well. Magnus catches him staring at it and smiles.

“It seemed appropriate to wear it today,” he says as he touches the pendant.

“It looks good on you,” Alec says and then immediately flushes red at his own admission. He wishes he had drank more - at least then he would be able to blame alcohol for his broken brain-to-mouth filter.

“Thank you.” Magnus laughs a little as he turns to pick up something from the edge of his bed before handing it to Alec.

The package he’s given is long, wrapped in layers of soft cloth. Alec doesn’t want to accidentally damage it, so he places it gently on a nearby table, the one they had dinner at a couple days ago.

His breath catches once he unwraps it.

“Magnus...” He whispers, his hand reaching out to touch but he stops himself just before his fingers connect with the gift. “I can’t. Th-this is too much.”

Laying on the table before him is the most gorgeous bow he has ever seen. It’s made of deep brown wood, polished to a high shine. The grip is smooth but the limbs are widely decorated with ornamental carvings - a pattern of filigree swirls and stars in different shapes and sizes. There is also a gray leather quiver with arrows, the fletchings a mix of red-dyed and natural bird feathers.

“Nonsense, darling,” Magnus laughs and Alec’s stomach does this weird flip that happens every time the Warlock calls him a pet name. “It was made just for you.”

Alec picks it up gingerly, as if afraid it’s going to disappear as soon as he touches it. He tests the tension of the bowstring as well as the overall balance and Magnus is right, the bow is a _perfect_ match for him.

“Thank you,” he whispers as he lays it back down on the table and turns towards Magnus. “It’s beautiful.”

“I’m sure that Ragnor told you at the start of your trip that the gift you will get in return will reflect my thoughts on you as the representative of your people,” Magnus says and waits for Alec’s nod of confirmation. His voice is a little formal now, the voice of High Warlock addressing the petitioner. “I’ve seen you, Alexander Lightwood, and I’ve seen what kind of leader you are. What kind of leader you will become. You are courageous and fiercely protective of the ones you claim as your own. You’re self-sacrificing, willing to do anything to keep others safe. You are honest, loyal to fault and while you’re distrustful of people you don’t know, you’re also willing to give them benefit of the doubt. It might be your downfall, but it might also be your most important quality as a future leader.” Magnus pauses for a moment as Alec takes in a shaky breath. “This bow represents my thoughts on you. It can be used to kill, but it can also be a means to provide for others. It’s a weapon for those who have patience to use it, who need to have a tactical mind and think three steps ahead of their opponents.”

Alec can hardly believe Magnus’ words. He doesn’t think all those qualities are actually his and Magnus must see some of that doubt on his face.

“You are a good person, Alexander,” the Warlock says and realizes that he hit the nerve, since Alec visibly flinches. “You are. I know you might not believe it yet, since your conscience tells you otherwise, after what happened at Mount Weather. If you need forgiveness, I'll give that to you. You're forgiven.”

“Magnus...” Alec rasps out but the older man interrupts him before he can say anything else.

“As the leader of Warkru, I accept your request to start negotiations with Azgeda on your behalf. I will leave for Polis in two days to join the clan summit that will take place there and I’ll present Queen Nia with a peace treaty offer. We can work out the details after the representatives of the two groups actually meet.”

“Thank you,” Alec breathes out a sigh of relief and it’s almost like an invisible burden falls off his shoulders. “You have no idea how much that means for us.”

“I think I might have an inkling.” Magnus smirks and moves away to pour them both a cup of wine. Alec accepts it gratefully and takes a long sip as the Warlock makes a toast to their new alliance.

Alec isn’t entirely sure what overcomes him. Maybe it’s a relief that he didn’t fail his mission. Maybe it’s the comfort of the knowledge that they have a good chance of stopping the bloodshed that has ruled their lives ever since they landed on Earth. Maybe it’s the memory of Magnus’ strong silhouette illuminated by the blue lights of the fireflies.

Whatever it is, it makes Alec leave his cup on the table and take Magnus’ drink out of his hand, makes him move into Magnus’ personal space.

“Don’t,” Magnus says but doesn’t move away, doesn’t put more distance between them. “If you’re doing this because you think need to, out of some misguided sense of loyalty or gratitude...”

“No.” Alec shakes his head, his gaze focused on Magnus’ lips, unable to look away. “I’ve wanted to do this ever since I saw you sitting on your throne on that very first day.”

“It’s not a throne,” Magnus protests.

“Keep telling yourself that,” Alec replies and leans down to press their lips together for the first time.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Every fic in this series is first posted to my tumblr and I usually upload it to AO3 with a delay. If you want to read my stories as soon as I finish them, follow me there: theonetruenorth.tumblr.com
> 
> Beta-read by [brizzbee](http://brizzbee.tumblr.com/)


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